diff --git a/handlers/new_instance.go b/handlers/new_instance.go
index f91f685..711191f 100644
--- a/handlers/new_instance.go
+++ b/handlers/new_instance.go
@@ -38,6 +38,20 @@ func NewInstance(rw http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	instances, err := core.InstanceFindBySession(s)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Println(err)
+		rw.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+
+	if playground.InstancesMax > 0 && len(instances) > playground.MaxInstances {
+		log.Println(err)
+		rw.WriteHeader(http.StatusConflict)
+		return
+	}
+
 	i, err := core.InstanceNew(s, body)
 	if err != nil {
 		if pwd.SessionComplete(err) {
diff --git a/pwd/instance.go b/pwd/instance.go
index 5880e46..ba807e2 100644
--- a/pwd/instance.go
+++ b/pwd/instance.go
@@ -98,16 +98,6 @@ func (p *pwd) InstanceDelete(session *types.Session, instance *types.Instance) e
 func (p *pwd) InstanceNew(session *types.Session, conf types.InstanceConfig) (*types.Instance, error) {
 	defer observeAction("InstanceNew", time.Now())
 
-	instances, err := p.storage.InstanceFindBySessionId(session.Id)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Println(err)
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	if len(instances) >= 5 {
-		return nil, sessionComplete
-	}
-
 	prov, err := p.getProvisioner(conf.Type)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/pwd/types/playground.go b/pwd/types/playground.go
index 3f8df21..5fc34f7 100644
--- a/pwd/types/playground.go
+++ b/pwd/types/playground.go
@@ -87,4 +87,5 @@ type Playground struct {
 	FacebookClientSecret        string           `json:"facebook_client_secret" bson:"facebook_client_secret"`
 	DockerClientID              string           `json:"docker_client_id" bson:"docker_client_id"`
 	DockerClientSecret          string           `json:"docker_client_secret" bson:"docker_client_secret"`
+	MaxInstances                int              `json:"max_instances" bson:"max_instances"`
 }